South Devon herald express - True talent will shine (october 14 1999)

There's hope for us all yet. If the music press is anything to go by, Muse, the band comprising former Teignmouth schoolboys, are headed for great things. That's if things can be any greater than a record deal with Madonna's label said to be worth £1 million. Their album reviews vary from rave endorsements to lukewarm acknowledgement. What matters most is they have been noticed and their label is prepared to back their investment with more investment on publicity and promotion. However, just like many other similar stories, what this tale shows is you don't have to hail from large conurbations for talent to be eventually recognised. Two of the biggest "rock" bands around, the Stereophonics and Catatonia, for instance, hail from Welsh villages and small towns. The much-vaunted Radiohead come from a small town near Oxford. It wasn't so long ago that young music fashion more or less dictated that unless you hailed from Manchester and before that, for a while, Birmingham, the most airplay you would receive might come from a small radio station beaming from somewhere unheard of in eastern Europe. Muse are making their mark and may become Devon's hottest act for a generation. Their sound and image won't be to everyone's taste, but their impact is living proof to young people that you can make your mark as well as anyone from anywhere else through hard work and talent. Especially if other temptations, many of them illegal and dangerous, so often dangled before you can be resisted in preference for something that will bring lasting value and fulfilment. Herald express

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